Knights of the Apocalypse
The Knights of the Apocalypse were a small reformer Chapter that originated in Italy in the year 1693, founded by a veritable madman, Agostino Gambrino, who proclaimed himself the 'King of Glory' and attempted to build a small army to take on the Antichrist (which the Chapter believed was soon to arrive on Earth). They were known for disrupting the services of the church and inciting riots among the people. Facts: -The early history of the Chapter is circumspect as it has left no credible record of itself, and what little there is tends to be second-hand accounts written by those who opposed the group. -The first recorded instance of the knights in history is when their leader, Gambrino, curiously charged the altar in St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome with a sword. Hacking away at the expensive altar during Mass, he declared himself to be the King of Glory and purportedly challenged the authority of the Papacy. Needless to say, this didn't endear the early KotA to the Order of Priests or any of the Ecclesiastical Orders. -The Knights of the Apocalypse were a Doomsday Cult who believed that the armies of the Antichrist were to soon arrive on Earth. Gambrino formed the Chapter to act as a vanguard against this incoming army of Infernalism. -Their overall nature quickly brought them into the fold of the Order of Oblivion who was more than happy to supply them with powerful Nihilists to act as their elite Apocalypse Knights. Gambrino himself was a member of the Void Order. -Kota members were drawn from all walks of life. The only requirement was that they be 'pure of faith' and willing to fight against the Devil and all his dark forces. Members were trained in ramshackle camps out in the woods where they were instructed in swordsmanship, marksmanship and survival techniques. -The group was never all that large but it managed to raise enough members to start seriously challenging the other Chapters. Eventually, the Inquisition got involved when a former member of the Kota snitched on the secret doings of the Chapter. Gambrino was forced to flee the country and the Knights of the Apocalypse went underground. -Gambrino's self-imposed exile from his homeland seems to have triggered a shift in both his own outlook and the purpose of the Chapter. Where before the KotA saw themselves as the vanguard against the Antichrist, Gambrino began to see himself as the Hand of God come to deliver judgment to a cruel and corrupt world. Society at large, and especially the Church, was so hopelessly corrupt that it could no longer stand - and Gambrino charged his knights with helping to bring it all down. -Since then, the Knights of the Apocalypse have been searching for various means to make the world end. They've scoured religious texts and omens, sought out powerful Relics associated with the End Times, and have consorted with strange and alien beings in order to better understand how to bring about the apocalypse. More than a few of them have actually taken up the study of the occult and magick, something which the early KotA were sternly against. -The Chapter's military capabilities are laughable by modern military standards. However, their elite Apocalypse Knights tend to be drawn from the Order of Oblivion, and the Nihilist's powers of destruction should never be taken lightly. Add to that the fact that the Chapter can supply these knights with doomsday extremists and you've got yourself a powderkeg of trouble to deal with. -The modern Chapter continues to function in removed camps, kept isolated from modern society where they continue to train members in how to survive and fight on their own. These groups are highly paranoid and local authorities tend to keep a very close watch on their public activities. -Attacking one of these camps will prove very difficult. Not only are they guarded by the Apocalypse Knights, but these groups tend to be well-versed in survival techniques, and the camps themselves are heavily fortified and equipped with weapons and ammunition. And their followers won't be afraid to use said weapons and ammunition either. -The original symbol of the KotA was a star with seven rays of light and a comet tail. This symbol has changed little but in modern times it is often just a falling comet or asteroid, representing how easily doom can come to the planet. The comet/asteroid is often stylized with flames. -While denounced by the Catholic Church and other major religious groups, the Knights of the Apocalypse do manage to recruit extremist members from the other Orders, especially the Ecclesiastical and Military Orders respectively. -The KotA really do see themselves as actual knights, warriors of the End Times who stand ready to battle Evil itself when the Apocalypse comes. As such, they are always armed and ready for a fight. -It should go without saying that a group of religious extremists, founded to battle Satan and all his minions when he shows up to end the world, will be extremely prejudiced against members of the Order of Fallen. In fact, they will probably attack outright any Fallen caught anywhere near one of their camps. Preparing For The End Times: The Knights of the Apocalypse spend their days feverishly studying religious texts and spiritual occurrences for any sign or omen that planetary doom is on the way. They are also always scouting for new recruits or building caches of weapons and supplies. KotA members are often interfered with by the authorities (ie, the Ruling Orders) who see them as loose cannons waiting to disrupt their precious status quo. They are also denounced by more 'proper' and respectable religious groups who warn people not to fall into their doomsday delusions. Category:Church Category:Brotherhood Of The Wolf Category:Chapter Category:Destroyer